Candia wants DES to waive required removal of ash pile

CANDIA — The town is asking the Department of Environmental Services to allow an ash pile at the old town incinerator to be capped rather than removed.

Stantec Consulting Services said removal of the pile, which dates back to 1981, would cost between $350,000 and $500,000.

“The town feels that leaving the ash on-site and capping it with a low permeability soil cover would be sufficient to reduce the likelihood of future potential impacts to groundwater and other potential receptors. In addition to the technical argument, a more practical reason for on-site capping is one of cost,” states Stantec’s request to the DES on the town’s behalf.

Selectman Richard Snow said the DES has previously rejected the town’s attempts to leave the ash pile on-site and that he expects nothing to change.

“The issue is the same as I have talked about all along. It appears this will have a significant cost impact, and we asked for permission to not move the material last year and was told by the DES that we had to get rid of it. Are they going to change their mind?” Snow said.

He added that the ash could become a large financial liability for the town, and until the town figures out what to do with it, he will not vote to use any part of the town’s unreserved fund balance to help pay down the tax rate.